The cornucopia – – “horn of plenty,” a symbol of food, abundance, the harvest, and Thanksgiving. It dates back to the 5th century B.C., where according to Greek mythology, the horn belonged to Almathea, the goat who became Zeus’ foster mother after his mother, Rhea, sent him to live in a hidden cave on Mount Ida to keep him safe from his father, Cronus. Cronus, for whatever reason, was convinced that Zeus would try to overthrow him when he grew up. To prevent that, Cronus decided to do away with his son.

The infant Zeus lived in a cave with Almathea, the goat that nursed him and raised him as her own child. One day when the two were playing together, Zeus accidentally broke Almathea’s horn. That turned her into a unicorn.

When Zeus was old enough to realize what had happened to Almathea, he was overcome with remorse. He returned the horn to her. No one knew that the horn had acquired magical powers. Whenever the person in whose possession it was wished for something, the horn would be replenished until it overflowed.

Cornucopia – As a Symbol of Thanksgiving

The cornucopia that has become a symbol of Thanksgiving is also a symbol of prosperity. The link to prosperity is evident in the range of names that are used to describe the cornucopia.

• Horn of Almathea
• Food of Worship
• Horn of Plenty
• Harvest Cone

In the context of food, the horn-shaped wicker basket that is a focal point of many Thanksgiving dinner tables is associated with abundance, prosperity, harvest time, and feasting. As the “horn of plenty,” it is filled with fruits, gourds, ornamental corn, nuts, flowers, and other decorative objects.

Our Fall Harvest Cornucopia has been redesigned for 2015. This year, it’s bigger and better than ever. We add sprigs of “harvest chic” dry wheat as an accent to an already stunning arrangement. We use burgundy-colored carnations, yellow daisy pompons, and red Asiatic lilies.

Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year. Order your cornucopia from Breen’s Florist today. Bring a bit of history and tradition to your Texas-size Thanksgiving dinner table.